CSI constitution

1. General

1.1. The Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale (CSI) is a continuing series of colloquia in analytical spectroscopy.
1.2. The object is to bring together spectroscopists on a worldwide scale to stimulate contacts and exchange of experience.
1.3. The colloquia are organised in a host country every odd-numbered year and are called Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale followed by a serial number in Roman numerals. The languages of the CSI are English, French and German.
1.4. During each CSI, a meeting is held of National Delegates.
1.5. A Continuation Committee handles current affairs according to Section 3.

2. National Delegates Meeting

2.1. Each country with participants at the colloquium has the right to be represented at the National Delegates Meeting; the number of National Delegates is limited to two per country. The National Delegates should have a scientific status in their own country. The colloquium Secretary must be notified of their names and the National Organisation represented, preferably three months prior to colloquium.

2.2. One vote shall be cast on behalf of each country represented by National Delegates.

2.3. The National Delegates Meeting is chaired by the President of the current colloquium. The colloquium Secretary acts as secretary to this Meeting and is responsible for preparing an agenda and keeping the minutes, which are to be distributed to the National Delegates within three months of the colloquium.

2.4. At a regular CSI the National Delegates Meeting decides on the Host Country for the next but one regular CSI. Its choice is made from the proposals received by the Continuation Committee and an attempt should be made to cover all parts of the world.

2.5. Except for changes to the constitution (see Section 5.2), decisions at the National Delegates Meeting are carried by a simple majority of votes. In the case of there being no majority, the Chairman casts the deciding vote.

2.6. While additional colloquia should not be encouraged, if exceptional circumstances arise the National Delegates Meeting may agree to the organisation of an additional colloquium, and decide on the location if it is to take place within the next four years. The decision to hold an additional colloquium shall not affect the timetable for deciding the locations of the regular colloquia.

3. The Continuation Committee

3.1. The Continuation Committee (CC) consists of:
the President and the Secretary of the last regular CSI,
the President and the Secretary of the coming regular CSI,
the President and the Secretary or Secretary of the following regular CSI,
the President of the IUPAC Analytical Chemistry Division or a person designated by him/her. (Former sentence: the Chairman of Commission V4 of IUPAC; Note: the commissions were liquidated during the reform of the IUPAC in 2001; information and suggestion to the sentence reformulation provided by Ryszard Lobinski).

The president of an additional CSI shall also serve as a member of the CC from the time of the National Delegates Meeting at which the location is decided until the next regular CSI after the additional one.

3.2. The new CC shall take office immediately following the National Delegates Meeting and will hold office until the National Delegates Meeting at the next regular Colloquium. The President of the colloquium at which the Meeting is held shall be the chairman of the new CC and the secretary of that colloquium shall be the secretary of the CC.

3.3. The CC is the custodian of the constitution and plays a direct role in the organization of a colloquium only in the event of an emergency.

3.4. The CC endeavours to ensure that all countries with participants at the colloquium are represented at the National Delegates Meeting. The CC may solicit proposals for the coming colloquia.

3.5. The CC shall assist the Organising Committees of the coming colloquia in every possible way, if requested to do so.

3.6. As a standard agenda item, the CC shall report to the National Delegates Meeting on any business transacted by it since the last Meeting.

4. The Host Country

4.1. A proposal to host a CSI may be submitted on behalf of any country. This invitation must be supported by a relevant National Organisation and should be submitted to the secretary of the CC in writing at least three months before the National Delegates Meeting. A general outline of basic organizational facts and the proposed program structure should be provided. The proposal can only be considered if the prospective organizers agree to adhere to the CSI constitution.

4.2. The Organising Committee in the appointed host country is wholly responsible for its CSI, and each colloquium shall be financially self-supporting.

4.3. The Organising Committee must follow the rules and regulations of the International Council of Scientific Unions and apply for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) accreditation. IUPAC accreditation and its implications must be made known to prospective attendees of the coming CSI through announcement in all colloquium circulars.

4.4. As IUPAC accreditation requires that entry visas will be granted to all bona fide scientists, the Organising Committee shall take all steps to ensure that visas are indeed granted.

4.5. The Organising Committees of coming colloquia shall keep the CC informed of the progress and shall notify the CC immediately of any serious difficulties encountered in the organization.

4.6. The Organising Committee for any colloquium may decide to present a CSI Award for outstanding contributions to analytical spectroscopy. In such case, the Committee will select a recipient in co-operation with the CC.

5. Conclusions

5.1. The original of this constitution was approved and adopted by a simple majority of the countries represented at the National Delegates Meeting at Amsterdam on June 28, 1983. Amendments were approved by the National Delegates in Toronto in 1987 and in Bergen in 1991. The present revised version was approved by the National Delegates Meeting at Melbourne on September 23, 1997.

5.2. Changes to this Constitution must be proposed in writing to the CC three months before the next National Delegates Meeting in order that they will be made known to National Delegates and be placed on the agenda before the Meeting. Changes can only be made by the National Delegates Meeting and require a two-third majority of the countries represented at the Meeting.